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Alton Towers Crash: Teen Couple Among Victims

Two of the four people seriously injured in the Alton Towers rollercoaster crash are a teenage couple from Yorkshire.

University of Huddersfield student Joe Pugh, 18, and 17-year-old girlfriend Leah Washington were at the theme park with flatmates when their carriage on The Smiler ride collided with a stationary carriage.

Four people including the pair were left with "significant lower limb injuries" - and the amusement park is closed today as an investigation continues.

It comes after a video emerged showing the seconds after the accident.

Friends of Mr Pugh, a textiles design student, have been sending him messages on social media.

One person said: "Can't believe when I wrote this I didn't know one of the four was my friend… Get well soon pal."

Another wrote: "Cannot actually believe what's happened! Get well very soon. Just seen you on the news, can't miss that jacket! Love you."

An Alton Towers spokesman said the carriage holding the passengers was travelling at approximately 20mph when it hit the other carriage.

The two carriages appeared to be locked together in the aftermath of the crash, with passengers swinging from side to side.

On Wednesday, teams of health and safety officials were inspecting the roller coaster.

The Smiler opened in May 2013 and cost £18m to construct.

Not long after it opened 48 people were evacuated from the ride after a piece of debris fell from a section of the track.